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Tip Two Win, who proved himself one of the world’s best racehorses by finishing second in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last May, will be the star attraction at the two-day Qatar International Derby Festival at Al Rayyan Racecourse in Doha at the end of next week.
Trained in Berkshire, England, by Roger Teal, Tip Two Win is defending an unbeaten record at Al Rayyan having won on both of his visits there last winter. He went on to frank that form in the Guineas when those finishing behind him included such superstars as the subsequent Epsom Derby winner, Masar; the European Horse Of The Year, Roaring Lion; and the Breeders’ Cup Mile hero, Expert Eye.
Tip Two Win has not raced since finishing unplaced in the Group 2 Qatar Lennox Stakes at Goodwood on July 31st. He had earlier come home in fourth in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He is one of five European-trained thoroughbreds declared to run at the Festival, where he will contest the US$500,000 (£370,370) Qatar Derby over a mile and a quarter on turf on Saturday December 22nd.
He will as usual be ridden by David Probert when he is part of a 12-runner line-up alongside the three-time Listed Race scorer, Mr Satchmo (trained in France by Antoine de Watrigant and ridden by Olivier Peslier), and Tadgh O’Shea’s mount, Ming, who was beaten less than four lengths in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes in America in August and is trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien.
Home hopes largely rest with the 1-2-3 from last month’s Thoroughbred Guineas: Prepare For Battle, Al Adaid and Alhazm.
On Friday December 21st there will be two British runners among a 12-strong field for the US$100,000 (£74,074) Al Rayyan Stakes – Concierge (trained by George Scott and ridden by Jason Watson) and Don Armado (trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by Probert).
This is a seven furlong turf contest which Tip Two Win won last December before returning to Doha to land the Al Biddah Mile eight weeks later.
French handler Thomas Fourcy and jockey Julie Auge will team up to take part in Saturday December 22nd’s two big races for purebred Arabians.
Rijm, winner of a Group 1 in Toulouse in October, is their representative in the US$150,000 (£111,111) Qatar Pure Arabian Derby for four-year-olds over a mile and a quarter on turf.
His ten Qatari-trained opponents in a classy renewal include Easter de Faust, winner of five of her six career starts including the Emir’s Silver Sword and last year’s Qatar Derby for three-year-olds; the dual French Group 2 winner, Rajeh; and the first three home from last month’s Arabian Guineas at Al Rayyan – Abercrombie, Evolution du Croate and Meelad.
Fourcy and Auge rely on Amir Al Cham, placed at Group 2 level on his penultimate start, in the Qatar Pure Arabian Derby for three-year-olds, a one mile turf event worth US$100,000 (£74,074). The ten-strong home team here is led by Daroob and Tabouk, who fought out a tight finish at this course three weeks ago.
Roger Teal, trainer of Tip Two Win, said:
“Tip Two Win had a racecourse gallop at Kempton Park on Tuesday morning and put a big smile on my face. He went so well that I’m starting to get nervous already ahead of the Qatar Derby.”
“David [Probert] rode him and he went one circuit, which is a mile and a quarter, in the company of High Acclaim, who is a very good work horse. They went a nice strong pace all the way.”
“David was delighted with him and thought that he had really strengthened up since he last ran back in July.”
“We had hoped to get him ready for the Breeders’ Cup but I didn’t want to force him and we ran out of time. Royal Ascot did not go to plan but he still made up a lot of ground so the only time that he really disappointed us was in the Lennox Stakes and that was a race too far – he was jaded.”
“He’s going really nicely again now and it’s just a matter of trying to squeeze out an extra two furlongs so that he can last the mile and a quarter of the Qatar Derby.”
“Al Rayyan is a nice level track and he will be able to bounce off the fast surface there so if he’s going to get a mile and a quarter anywhere it will be in Doha. It’s great prize money and they looked after us so well last year that we have to give it another go.”
“His plane leaves in the early hours of Saturday morning and he’s a good traveller – nothing fazes him.”
Nasser Bin Sherida Al Kaabi, General Manager of the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, said:
“The Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club is very pleased with the quality of the entries for this year’s Qatar International Derby Festival.”
“I look forward to hosting so many international friends and horses at the Festival as we once more take the opportunity to promote Qatar as a world Hub for horseracing and a leader in the pure Arabian breed.”